Lifelong Educations

A game of magical learnings...

The strings of Fate are akin to plumbing, wiring, and the moving parts of the machine. Reality is the final output for everything that goes into it. Fate is the RAM and Processor. The fine wiring of a motherboard, circuitry delicate and ever present. If I can learn to read and better understand this ‘programming’ that Fate uses, perhaps a greater understanding of its interconnections will come about, and lead to a deeper computing capability.

A better understanding of the Changeling’s Oaths may also prove beneficial in understanding the programming of Fate.

On other notes, I’m looking into a deeper use of the Keeper’s of Knowledge Legacy. Various activities that could be done:

Collectors and Recorders of History and Knowledge

Couriers of Knowledge

Spy network

Protectors and Keepers of Knowledge… duh

Researchers

Database of Supernal Expertise

I’m looking into getting another member for the Legacy, and it would seem that the Legacy will be an Acanthus based Legacy. Still not sure how it worked out with Poe, but it would seem the Legacy only holds for her while she is within Isidis. I’m looking deeper into that as I can. The most simplistic response would be “there is a slightly different working of the supernal within Isidis than without.” Not sure what, why, how, when, or where… or who, as the case might be. Sadly, that is on the back burner at the time being. Focus currently resides on the store opening, the new library retrieved from the Selomite Order, tracking down the Atlantean Temple under Isidis (which may have something to do with the Legacy thing working for Poe), and of course, finding Smirnoff’s Tass reserves.

Ah, looks like the Drinker’s of Aleph have a full plate for a little while.

Not to mention the conclusion of the task I have with The Free Council. Well, both tasks. The computer, and my ward.

Guardians are present at the library. Portal to the library can be found on campus in the basement of the biology department. As you approach the boiler room, you will find a door marked storage room. With the right password, it will open to the library. Elemental guardians. Unknown state.
Each guardian responds to a different password.
Once inside the temple, will have to find the library, it will be a room in the temple.
• Password for Storage Closet Door: “We do not hold Selomite to be the one true god.” in Arabic.
• Password for Sirrocco Wind Spirit: “We honor the desert wind for its cleansing scourge.” in Arabic.
• Password for Djinn/Ifriiti: “By your grace and wishes three, we demand passage.” in Arabic.

Taking a moment to jot down a few notes about this temple, along with this sketch of the map I am making. Well, considering I am making it in this book as well, it is the map I am making, lol, not just a sketch of the map I am making.

Rupert is along with us, along with the Scribe.

That warrants mentioning today’s divinatios.

A new place provides new insights

I’ll follow you into the dark

Are you certain the scribes goals are your own

Prepare to find the hidden

Huh, this will be an interesting endeavor. I wonder what we will find in the library. Oh! Moving again! Write more later.

Things have taken an interesting turn. Starting to work towards becoming the Acanthus Senator for FC here in the local area. The project has hit a hic-up, but P.M. has given us a month extension, and I have made a donation of 100 tass to the FC to help out with current over-stretching of order finances. Hmmmm, this needs a more permanent fix though. Not my problem, as of yet.

Met with Mr. Waters, the changelings are back in Isidis now. They helped to take care of an issue, or rather, we helped them confirm information and alleviate an issue. Either way, I have discovered that some, if not all, of the Changelings can open portals, or doorways, to a strange realm that. It is not supernal, and it is not twilight, or anything to do with the gauntlet. The realm felt like home to me. It was fate incarnate almost. I have two twigs from the place. Follow Through allowed access to the doorway, but it would seem after use, the doorway only lingers for a short period of time. At least within the same day, from what I can tell. I paid Gustov to place them in stasis, so they would not continue to decay, allowing for further study. He informed me not to allow anyone else to touch them, and they need to be kept together. I have acquired a glass case, small, to keep them in, so I may have other Acanthus in the FC help me study them. Hmmm, I am going to need to devise a good way to find other doorways to this realm of fate, whatever it is called.

I have taken some old school style photos of the twigs. Using a jury rigged dark room in the basement, gonna try to develop a few of them in different styles and fashions to see what is revealed. I have the reel, but haven’t taken the time to develop them just yet. Gonna do it when I have the place to myself, as to have the basement, and not be disturbed, and not block other’s access to the basement.

It will be interesting to see what I can learn about this foreign realm. Do some experimentation to see if it is possible to make a portal to that realm as a mage.

It was with mixed feelings that Poe walked to her room after the Counsel meeting. She was happy that Consuela and Brother Beck were on the counsel. Nero’s place was a given, even if she didn’t like it. It wasn’t the best thing, but also wasn’t the worst. No, the worst thing was Suede. If only there had been a way to stop that.

Poe walked up to her door and let her head fall against it. There had been a way. They had Suede’s soulstone.

Fuck. Fuck Fuck Fuck.

Why hadn’t she thought of this before? Goddamnitall.

It was too late now. They might be able to use the stone to make her step down, but damn if that didn’t seem like something that could bite them in the ass. Even if Suede couldn’t take revenge on them directly, she was clever enough to fuck with them other ways.

If Poe had acted earlier, Suede would still have been angry, but it was better to stop someone from getting something than to take it away afterwards.

Poe lifted her head and went into her room to change. She would remember this. This was another opportunity to learn. And she would remember this lesson.

Hawaii blew up. Holy crap. Though I’ve been trying to keep everyone from feeling like that’s our fault, I kind of wonder myself. It seems fortunate in a way that there’s so much going on in our lives, because it means we don’t have time to sit down and think of the millions that have died and will die because we helped the Archmage ascend. Kind of makes me wonder what would have happened if we had failed. Of course we couldn’t know she would do that, but still. Have the Banishers or Seers ever done something so bombastically catastrophic anytime in recent history? How did killing millions serve mankind’s interests?

The whole New Watchtower thing is one hell of a mind trip. It’s like reality just restructured itself, into a world where destruction is so much more common. Helping new mages learn the ropes is certainly interesting, too – The two apprentices we’re teaching really make me think about what I’ve learned, and it’s very thought-provoking to watch how they learn. On top of that, making sure they learn how to be decent magi is rewarding too. Feels like I’m part of the world again, and not living in a universe comprised of just my Cabal and our personal problems.

Which leads me to think about my recent encounters while shape-shifted and out and about. Saw a pair of rather odd deaths, one an accidental squirrel-pizza caused by my presence, and the other a cold-blooded murder in an alleyway. Death happens, regardless of whether or not I’m there, and though it’s often tragic it does seem sadly necessary for new life to grow. I feel almost as if the city’s trying to tell me something, though, and like an itch on my brain I just can’t quite scratch, I’ve yet to figure out what it is.

Having Sparks and Hassan in the house has been interesting. I gave them both a study book of the basics, and don’t really care to aid them any further per say. At least not directly.

Found a few new things out about the archive of things to be.

The Eye that sees will soon be moved from its mountain.

The book will return to prominence.

Soon you will hear the Moon Song again, they can smell fear.

Out to be interesting to find out what those refer to.

Been saving up Tass for a while now. Cost me 94 Tass in total, purchasing and inscribing the rotes, but was well worth it! Managed to get 13 rotes in total.

Walking the Supernal Path Disciple Fate Rote

Mohammed’s Radio Initiate Forces Rote

Shock Therapy Disciple Forces Rote

Voices in the Ether Disciple Forces Rote

Gaze Through the Mountain Disciple Matter Rote

Sculpt the Heart Disciple Mind Rote

Eyes on the Prize Initiate Space Rote

Trailing the Long Stride Initiate Space Rote

Dispersing the Threads Disciple Space Rote

Fleshless Speech Initiate Spirit Rote

Closing the Way Apprentice Spirit Rote

Whisper to the Ancients Disciple Spirit Rote

Turn Back the Page Disciple Time Rote

Took me about two months to save up about 110 Tass Scrolls. I gave five to Jack for some dealings he was doing, that or he was actually talking to himself and not a spirit… I used a few for other things, and then made the large purchase of rotes. I’m left with the 10 Tass Scrolls remaining. Time to start building up the collection again, and in a few more months seeing if I can’t purchase some more rotes. Makes it a lot easier since I can just copy the rote from one grimoire to the other now. Of course, this might start confusing other mages about what Arcanum I do or do not actually have… especially if they aren’t watching closely and just think I’m paying them to learn the rote… and not just duplicate it.

Oh well. I’m being a good keeper so far. Going to take free time and make a secondary grimoire for just the Keeper’s of Knowledge, and start copying the rotes in the Cabal grimoire into that one as well. Since the only two keepers so far are in the Cabal. Just a useful thingie. Going to make it a Nook, or digital grimoire possibly. Maybe not though. Eh, actually, I think I will make it a tablet. Easy to use, organize, lots of data space, oh oh oh, and I can get it imbued with a spell I heard of that makes for an infinite thumb drive! Of course, don’t want to over burden it, but can give it a lot more capacity than it should have. Like, use up 2 TB’s instead of just 32 GB’s. Hehehehehe! Yeah!

Ight, this sounds good to me. I can also write a program that lets me directly add, write, draw, design rotes directly onto the tablet. :P Woot woot!

Successful day was successful!

~ R.H., K.O.K.

HAHAHA!!! OMGAH! We’re KOKs… hehehehehe! I totally didn’t think of or notice that when I named my legacy! That’s ironic. Damn Acanthus’d myself there I guess!!!

Poe sat on the park bench with bluetooth firmly in ear and phone firmly in hand. She stared straight ahead, pointedly refusing to look directly at the person sitting next to her or the stack of books he was going through. It would have been obvious to any passerby that she was avoiding acknowledging the man sitting with her, if any had been able to see him.

“So Frank, how have things been?”

“Oh you know, same old same old. Float around, say ‘boo’ get ignored.”

Frank was one of the most self aware ghosts living around the Park that would talk to Poe. A homeless vet that had fallen prey to the more mundane dangers of homelessness, Frank had also been one of the first ghosts outside the cemetery that Poe regularly visited. He had actually come right up to her when he noticed her trying to talk to some of the park’s other permanent residents. He was also a sucker for history books and a fair hand at knitting, both hobbies that Poe had been able to feed during their relationship.

“How would you like something more interesting to do with your time?”

“Like what?”

Frank’s voice didn’t sound the way normal voices did, not to Poe anyway. Despite being loud and clear, it had a strange distant, detached quality that Poe was only able to liken to listening to music through an old shitty stereo with no base. The tone still came through, wary… but interested.

RE: The Janni and Selemites

June 28, 2012
The Word of the Heirarch, delivered by Herald to the Members of the Isidis Consilium:
“Greetings to all of you. I do hope the shockwave that recently ravaged the city and it seems the world did not disturb too many of your workings. In light of the recent events, and with more information now available to me, it seems I need to take a stand on certain things.
“Firstly, the Selemite Order. What remains of the Organization has stepped forward to receive the justice of the magi of Isidis for the crimes they have commited. In review with the Councilors, the Consilium has decided that while Death is no longer an appropriate punishment, neither can we simply turn the other cheek. For that reason, the Consilium has sentenced the entirety of the Selemite Order to Banishment. A week will be given, afterwards any and all loyal Consilium members are expected to contact the Sentinals or deal with them appropriately. In regards to the Selemite Order the Right of Nemesis is given in all domains of Isidis.
“Secondly, the Janni. It is my decision that the Janni represent a great victory in the war against the Exarchs, as the veil in front of Humanity’s eyes is pulled back a little further and more are given the chance to reach for the power that is their Birthright. That being said, the Consilium of Isidis welcomes any and all Janni that wish to join the Atlantean Orders with open arms. Until such a time as the influx of newly Awakened settles down, the Consilium asks its constituent members to act as though Sanctuary had been granted to all Janni.
“Thirdly, the stalemate with the Free Council continues and the war with the Selemite Order has run its course. As such, the Consilium of Isidis revokes Addendum 4 of the Charter and returns to the forms of government present therein, without reversal of any wartime declarations, amendments or standing orders save on a case-by-case basis.

RE: The Janni and Selemites

June 28, 2012
Welcome Ryu Hon!
You have 1 new Announcement from P.Murata:

“When I was elected as your President I stood for three things: Progress, Power, and Responsibility. I still stand firmly behind all of those virtues, and more besides. In my time as President I have taken it upon myself to review and familiarize myself with the history of our ‘Order’. As we ourselves tell it, we came to be in order that we might guide and shepherd humanity; not to Awakening as the Silver Ladder would, but to a discovery of their own Mysteries.
“We were formed in a time when radio was new and the telephone was coming into being, when the greatest advancements of Human technology were reaching a level un-dreamed of in ages past. The Free Council rose up to tell the Seers of the Throne that these magical beings, endless in their font of creativity, were not to be touched: We had assumed guardianship. The other orders, seeing an ally in us, then called us Friend.
“From that moment onwards we took on a sacred trust, a trust that often times has put us at odds with the Orders of the Diamond. We tried, even here in Isidis to work with them, and they helped us gain our footing and become a force for humanity. But when they looked to us to aid them in shadow wars that were fought with no consideration for ‘mere mortals’, we could help no longer. We broke away from them and their petty concerns and continued our trust as best we could.
“The Selemite Order, for all their violent means, did not engender that trust. In fact, the Selemite Order, as we have come to find out, is responsible for a greater portion of our trust than we ourselves contented ourselves with. They have kept Isidis safe from horrors we had not conceived as threats. For that, we now turn to the Selemite Order and call them Associates. Any and all refuges from that Order that seek admission will be granted such within the Free Council. It is our understanding that those that remain are as foot-soldiers in a larger war, without motive for malice, and without direction.
“The newly Awakened Janni, on the other hand, form a force that we cannot so pleasantly excuse. The Janni are representatives of terrible things to come: a future the Silver Ladder has strived for since their inception. The Janni represent the Death of Human Mystery, a force which is intolerable to our Trust.
“But we are not monsters seeking to create more Banishers. Any Janni that shows an aptitude for our ways, for our interests in preserving Human Mysteries, can be considered for membership within the Free Council, but their trials will be befitting the so-called Path of Conflict, and the final decision, absent a Senator for the Janni’s Path, will be myself.
I urge all of you to remember our Trust, and represent yourselves and our Order accordingly.”

Wow, I totally fail at keeping a journal. It’s been what…A month or two? I really ought to start dating these things.

My aunt had a dream about me before she died, about how I have a destiny and my doom is a black dancer. It better not be Aaron. That would be altogether too fucked up, and I’d hate to die with “touche, fate, well played!” on my lips. Besides, I like the guy, it’d be a shame to have to avoid him.

Unrelated: Going to be spending some time up on Guardian Hill just observing the place through the gauntlet. Not planning to go back in there and try to talk to the Guardian again, of course…That would be fucking suicide…Holy crap. Still can’t figure out what the hell Nergui was thinking, talking to such a potent spirit in that kind of disrespectful bitchy way. I suspect I’ll never get to find out. Pretty sure she’s fertilizer at this point. Would have done more to save her if I could, but frankly I had to choose the survival of my cabal over playing the hero. I very nearly opened a doorway under her feet to get her out of there, but that would have neatly fucked the rest of us with a gigantic, angry, splinter-covered incarna-level dildo of hatred. Ugh.

Also got that message from Mobius. I’m really glad he’s okay – Even though he had to leave us, I always figured he didn’t really want to. I mean sure, he took the reassignment gracefully and probably didn’t fuss much, but I always had the feeling he was acting in our best interests even when he was being mysterious and offputting. Just a feeling about the guy – He thinks of himself as a bastard, but deep down is a man of strong loyalties. Can’t say much either way about his personal morals, though, and a loyal man can still be a terrible monster if driven too far. I miss his ties.

Anyway that’s it for now. Sorry, journal, you’re getting dusty and my mind’s been pretty occupied with plumbing the mysteries of the magi-verse lately. Maybe I should make a fetish out of you at some point, to like fly around and bash me in the head when I need to clean my brain-cobwebs out with your pages.